Detailed Barbados Map  

Barbados Holidays - Travel Guide

 

All inclusive Barbados holidays offer idyllic white sand Caribbean beaches for relaxation and plenty of ideas for day trips and family activities. Barbados, in the Eastern Caribbean is the most easterly of the Caribbean islands measuring just 26 by 14 miles. The island is more developed than St. Lucia and enjoys drier weather. Barbados also offers greater potential for family activities, sightseeing and shore excursions.

 

In this Barbados holiday guide, we provide ideas for day trips and island sightseeing including the best beaches and scenery. To explore Barbados, you'll need a hire car for at least 2 or 3 days. We recommend pre-booking one at cheap rates from our car hire page to save time and money.

Our detailed Barbados map shows the location of major towns. Use this map in conjunction with our travel tips below to find places of interest for your Barbados holidays.

  Barbados holidays  

Barbados Weather

Barbados weather

Before booking cheap holidays to Barbados or last minute deals, always check the weather! Barbados, like most Caribbean islands has a "humid wet season" which generally runs from the end of June to the end of November. During this time, most rainfall occurs in the form of heavy showers, but storms and more seldom hurricanes can also occur during this time. The driest Barbados weather occurs between January and May.

Tips for Barbados Holidays

If you are considering package holidays to Barbados, it is worth noting that the south east and east coast of Barbados has rougher seas. The Island is influenced by strong south easterly trade winds. Swimming in the Caribbean sea can be more hazardous here than on the west coast.

For family all inclusive Barbados holidays, we advise booking a affordable west coast Barbados hotel like the all inclusive Crystal Cove hotel, especially if you plan on spending time at the beach and in the sea. The Crystal Cove hotel also offers a good kid's club.

Beaches

Tamarind Cove Hotel Barbados  

West Coast

  Bottom Bay Barbados  

South Coast

The best beaches for Barbados holidays can be found on the Island's west coast where the sea is generally calmer.

Mullins Bay, near Speightstown is a popular beach with water sports available and a beach bar serving food and drinks.

On Barbados south east coast lies beautiful Bottom Bay. It is, in our opinion, one of Barbados' best beaches with towering palm trees and spectacular white sand.

Bottom Bay beach is unsuitable for swimming as there are large waves.

Paynes Bay and Holetown on the west coast also offer excellent beaches with good snorkelling and water sports.

Hire a car and visit Crane beach during your Barbados holidays. This fantastic beach is home to the luxury Crane Hotel.

Barbados Day Trips

Cattlewash & Bathsheba  

Bathsheba

  Barbados North Point  

North Point

For scenery during your Barbados holidays, visit Cattlewash and Bathsheba on the east coast. Giant Atlantic waves have moved huge boulders onto the beach. Bathsheba is one of the best places for Barbados photography, particularly at sunrise. Also close by are Andromeda Gardens, good for spotting hummingbirds.

North Point, Barbados is home to the Animal Flower Caves (featuring Sea Anemones) and impressive cliffs. The bracing trade winds produce big waves here which rise up to 60 feet up the cliff. Access to the Animal Flower caves is dependent on sea conditions for safety reasons.

Barbados east coast offers some challenging surfing and water sports with high waves, plenty of surf and dangerous swimming, so take advice before venturing out.

This most northerly point of the island boasts great scenery and an interesting café with visitor's cards from all over the world. Post your business card here to add to the collection!

 
Tobago Cays, Grenadine Islands  

Grenadine Islands

  Barbados Flower Forest  

Flower Forest

A day trip spent Caribbean island hopping to the Grenadines is an unforgettable experience. Available as day trips from Barbados, take a short flight to Mustique and Union Island, then board a Schooner to the beautiful Tobago Cays.

Book with Caribbean Safari Tours on +1 (246) 427 5100.

The Barbados Flower Forest off Highway 2 is a 50 acre tropical garden with beautiful Heliconias and a wide variety of Palms. There are great views over the east coast too.

You may even spot some native Vervet monkeys in the tree tops.

 
Harrisons Cave, Barbados  

Harrisons Cave

  Jolly Roger, Barbados  

Jolly Roger Cruises

Harrisons Cave, Barbados is a spectacular cave and cavern system that is almost a mile long. It contains impressive Stalactites and Stalagmites, some up to 30 feet high. Visitor access is by electric tram (admission charge applies). Take Highway 2 north from the west coast.

Barbados holidays wouldn't be the same without a Jolly Roger Pirate Cruise! They even offer unruly tourists the chance to walk the plank!

The cruise is a lot of fun and also offers some good west coast Barbados photography and sightseeing opportunities. Food and rum is of course provided!

Package holidays to Barbados